


[Val x Han] Escort AU

by ino_fujiwara



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Escorts, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Drama & Romance, Escort Service, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fluff, Modern Era, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2019-11-16 00:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18083975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ino_fujiwara/pseuds/ino_fujiwara
Summary: A Servamp AU fic branched off from my personal self-insert Pairs AU. This is for my own enjoyment, so I will be updating whenever I can. All Servamp names are changed from canon. All characters are humans.Feeling a bit lonely and bored with her day-to-day life, Hannah succumbs to hiring an escort to keep her company. In doing so, she meets Valentine, an incredibly charming stranger who instantly draws her attention. But considering the type of business he's in, will they be able to meet in the middle and come to fully understand their feelings?





	1. The First Date

The lights dim, the music rolling lowly from the speakers, people sitting scattered across multiple couches, chairs, and booths, all chatting and having a good time. Some sat at the bar, clinking their glasses and laughing amongst friends while others curled up to their lovers’ side. Some danced together in the open space while a few stragglers lingered along the outskirts, overlooking the crowd.

She would’ve never stepped foot into a place like this out of her own volition. Social interactions were never her strong suit in the first place and being in a bar, alone, surrounded by outgoing cliques was not her idea of a good time. It was far outside of her comfort zone and it made her anxious. 

The girl kept her arms close to her body as she made her way across the room towards the bar. She stopped and stood a fair distance away from the counter, as to not draw the bartender’s attention just yet, and gazed up at the menu of drinks with names she’d never heard of. Her hands tugged down on the long sleeves of her sweater and bunched the fabric in her palms so that only her knuckles poked out from the cuffs, a habit she’d developed whenever she was nervous. A small exhale escaped her lips. She was definitely out of place here. 

_‘Why did I agree to come here? I’d rather be at home in bed with a cup of tea…’_

She decided not to get a drink and instead turned from the bar, finding an unoccupied chair in the corner by the window and sat down. One leg crossed over the other as she pulled her phone from the pocket of her jeans and leaned back into the chair. She opened up her emails and looked over her most recently sent message. 

**Sounds good. I’ll see you at 8 then! I’m looking forward to it~ :)**

The girl’s eyebrows knitted as she read over the conversation. Did she really have to sound so carefree and confident in her messages when she clearly wasn’t? She was scared, terrified even. This whole experience was so new to her, it felt surreal. After 22 years of living a sheltered life at home, doing nothing but cooping herself up alone in her room and spending her free time online, the idea of hiring a man to spend time with her because she was lonely seemed awfully desperate. She cursed at herself for actually going through with this stupid idea. Her finger tapped her bank app and saw that her funds were less than ideal. But she’d already sent the deposit, so it was too late to back out now. 

Because this was her first time, she had only scheduled to meet with him for a few hours. And it was a Sunday night, after all. Not that she had any plans the next day, but she still wanted to be considerate in case he had a weekday job on the side. She glanced at the time. It was already almost 8. She had arrived a bit earlier than she’d expected to, but at the same time, she was concerned that he wasn’t here already. Didn’t most men show up earlier than the woman in this sort of situation? She supposed now she probably looked even more desperate and that worried her. What if he didn’t show up at all? What if this was a scam and he took her money and ran? She’d checked the credibility of the site she used multiple times, but her mind continued its venture into the worst case scenario. What if he did show up and he didn’t like her? Or what if she didn’t like him? What if he wanted more with her than what she was ready and willing to give? She’d paid him, so that meant he was entitled to have his way with her, right? Her heart raced. This was his line of work, after all; he probably expected her to take him to a hotel that night. Her shoulders shot up and her fingers began to tremble. The more she thought about it, the more scared she got. 

“Excuse me, miss.”

Her worries were cut off when she noticed a figure standing in front of her. She jolted and looked up at his face.

Oh. _Oh wow._

“You’re Hannah, right?” he smiled softly. His voice was low compared to the bustling sounds around them, but she could hear him clearly. His blonde hair hung just above his shoulders and eyes were a light brown, with almost a pinkish tint to them. Or was that just because of the lighting? Either way, his face was incredibly kind and inviting. Her eyes wandered to his shirt, the first few buttons were undone and showed off his defined collarbone and a little of his chest. She shot her attention back to his face and blushed. 

“O-Oh, yes. I am.” She slipped her phone into her pocket and stood. He offered his hand and she shook it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He gave her a charming smile in response. “Likewise. I’m Valentine, your escort for this evening.”

Hannah smiled and gave a weak laugh, uncomfortable hearing the word “escort” be said aloud so casually. He seemed to pick up on her nervousness easily, sending her a quick smile as he let her fidget for a moment to get her bearings.

“Would you like a drink?” He asked. She nodded shyly.

“Hm. Sure.” She didn’t really drink much, but this is what she paid for, so she might as well make the most of it. He offered his arm and she hesitantly took it as the two of them sauntered over to the bar. She kept a good distance between them, unsure of how close she could get. She knew it was his job to get close to people, but it just seemed—weird. It seemed odd, to be so close to someone she didn’t personally know. Her grip was weak on his arm and from the way he shifted to let her get a better grasp without ensuring she felt guilty, she figured he knew too.

“What would you like?” He asked while glancing over at her. Hannah bit her lip as she looked at the menu again. _Why did she agree to go to a bar?_

“I’m… not sure,” she responded. “What are you having?”

“Maybe a cosmopolitan. Something simple. What kind of drinks do you like?”

She hesitated. She didn't know much about alcohol; others always ordered for her. She didn’t want to seem too inexperienced and lame, even though that was exactly what she was, so she had to think of something quick. “I like sweet drinks. Something not too strong, I guess.” Hannah glanced back up at the menu and picked something with a name she recognized. “I’ll just have a margarita. No salt, please.”

The bartender took their orders and she pulled her wallet from her purse to pay. But she felt a hand stop her. Valentine smiled and slid his card across the counter. “I’ll take care of the drinks, okay?” Hannah blinked and retracted her wallet, surprised at his generosity. From all the research she’d done on hiring escorts, she knew that it was her job to pay for everything on their date in exchange for his company. Maybe he was taking pity on her because she was clearly new to this. 

“Thank you,” she said awkwardly as he took her arm. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

He shrugged. “There was no reason not to,” he pointed out. “I don’t mind paying, especially when it’s for a lovely lady like yourself.”

Hannah stiffened, cheeks warming as he led her to one of the couches. 

A lovely lady? _Her?_ No way. It couldn’t be that someone like him really saw her as lovely. Valentine merely smiled gently and sat her down on the couch, sitting next to her. Hannah slowly ran her fingers on the sides of the glass, deeply uncomfortable. She cannot believe she did this. If her friends saw her now they would laugh, she was sure.

Valentine shifted closer, placing his arm along the top of the couch as he swirled his drink around. He didn’t seem like this whole thing was unnerving to him at all, which is fair. It probably wasn’t. He did this for a living, after all. She was the one making it awkward. She grimaced at her thoughts and took a sip of her margarita. She’s always the one making things awkward.

The taste hit her tongue and Hannah wrinkled her nose. It was sour. But it was better than the bitter taste of other alcohols, she supposed. She set the glass down on the table delicately, heaven forbid she knock it over knowing her luck, and her eyes remained fixated on her hands in her lap. This was just turning into a disaster; why couldn’t she had just gotten an account on some dating app? Surely, it would be less humiliating than this.

“So, what do you like to do, Hannah?” Valentine asked idly, watching in amusement as she hesitated. She really, really, hated this question. Whenever she mentioned that she was an artist, people tended to ask to see her sketches, which immediately sets off her fight or flight instincts—and she was always set on flight.

“Um, well. I like to draw,” she answered, risking a look up. He didn’t seem like the type of person who would— 

“Oh?” His expression lit up. “Do you mind if I see some of your work?”

Oh no. _He was one of those people._

“U-Um… well, it’s nothing of interest, really. Plus, I’m not very good,” Hannah stuttered, fingers twisting together. She wasn’t very confident to begin with, and she really didn't want this incredibly suave man finding out she drew cartoons for fun. “I don’t have my sketchbook with me, so I don’t really have anything to show you, anyways. I’m sorry.”

He nodded and his smile never faltered. “Oh, I see. Well that’s too bad. I can’t draw at all, so I’m sure you’re better than you give yourself credit for.” He sipped his drink. “I do like art, actually. I find it interesting to meet people who can create things with nothing but paper, a pencil, and their imagination.”

Hannah’s expression softened a little as she reached for her drink. “I agree! I’ve loved art since I was a kid, and I’ve been drawing my entire life. I’m not really at the level I’d like to be, but I’m working towards being a professional artist someday.” She smiled down at her glass. 

Valentine watched her intently as she spoke and she knew what he was thinking. She was obviously passionate about this, so why wasn’t she more confident? It was the same thing everyone thought. “What do you like to draw?”

She tensed a little again, but answered a little more readily this time. “I enjoy character design and comics. My dad is a comic artist, so I’ve always liked them.” She waited for his expression to change into one of boredom, but it didn't, and that surprised her. He actually listened to her and took her interest into account. She decided to test the waters a bit. “Do you like that sort of thing?”

Valentine chuckled a bit. “I can’t say I know much about it, to be honest with you.”

“I see.” Her shoulders fell once more; what did she expect? People generally don’t.

“But that doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting to hear about!” he adds. His hand behind her brushes against her shoulder. “I like when you talk about things you’re passionate about, Hannah.”

Hannah’s arm slightly twitched at his touch, but she didn’t pull away. She laughed a little more, and her cheeks turned a little pink as she stammered and thanked him for the compliment. 

The two of them sat and talked together for a while longer. They both finished up their drinks and the atmosphere between them seemed to have considerably lightened up. Valentine, making a few flirtatious jokes here and there, and Hannah laughed and blushed, but overall dismissed them. They talked about interests, their daily lives, their families. Valentine offhandedly mentioned coming from a big family, with seven other siblings, and— 

“Wait, _seven?!_ ” Hannah repeated in disbelief, eyes wide. Valentine laughed at the anticipated reaction and nodded. “I only have one and she alone tires me out. I can’t imagine having that many.”

He hummed, “Hm, I get that. It was definitely crowded when we were kids, but I’m the second youngest, so by the time I was in high school, my oldest siblings had moved out already,” he sighed and shook his head with a grin, “Some sooner than others, at least.”

Hannah replied with a smirk and playfully nudged him with her shoulder, “Hey, you make it sound like that’s a bad thing. Not everyone can be handsome, wealthy, and successful enough to make it on their own in this day and age, you know.” 

He chuckled and brushed his fingers through his bangs with a dramatic flick of his wrist. “Oh, you mean like me~? I’m flattered, my dear,” he joked. 

“No, I meant more like Chris Hemsworth,” she giggled.

“Fufu, now I know your type, hm~” he teased and nudged her arm back. 

They continued to talk about her life. He asked about her day job, and she briefly told him about how she was unhappy with it and how she was hoping to find something new soon. She didn’t return the question, however; they both knew this meetup was simply for work. But even so, Valentine listened to her every word and that made her feel special. She found him to be surprisingly easy to talk to once she’d brushed her nerves out of the way, and he seemed to be glad to see her enjoying herself with him as well.

Eventually, as the bar was beginning to close and the lingering friends and couples alike were taking their leave, Hannah checked the clock on the wall and was surprised to find that neither of them had noticed that they’d went over their appointment time. It was still fairly early, only about 10:45 or so, but bars in the area closed early on Sundays. And so, they gathered their things and headed for the exit.

Valentine opened the door for her, and they were both hit with the frigid nighttime air as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. As they walked along the path towards their cars, Hannah shivered, tugging her sweater tighter around her shoulders and putting her hands under her arms to keep them protected from the chill. She leaned into Valentine for warmth and he welcomed her by placing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to his side. 

“I enjoyed this time with you, Hannah. Thank you for inviting me out tonight.” he spoke gently, a little above a whisper. She smiled and exhaled in response, her breath coming out with a soft mist.

“I had fun too… Thank you, Valentine.” She really didn’t want the evening to end, but of course, she knew it had to. After this, she would most likely never see him again. It’s not like she could afford to keep hiring him over and over again; his prices were insane, and after tonight she could see why he was in such high demand. He was charming, handsome, and respected boundaries. What more could a person want in an escort?

He walked Hannah to her car and they said their goodbyes. She wanted nothing more than for him to stop her. She wished he would embrace her and give her a sweet goodnight kiss like in some cheesy romance movie. But as expected, he didn’t. And she got into her car as he walked back to his own. She sat in the driver’s seat in silence for a moment and shook her head with a weak laugh to herself. Of course he wouldn’t stop her. People don’t just fall in love at first sight after a few hours of talking. And men in his profession certainly didn’t form emotional attachments to their clients. 

Hannah pulled her phone from her sweater’s pocket and felt a small piece of paper fall out with it. Curiously, she picked it up and held it under the light of her phone. Written in pristine handwriting was a phone number, signed “Val” underneath it.

She smiled sweetly, placed it carefully back into her pocket, and made her way home for the night.

 

* * *

 

**A date?! OoO!!!**

****

****

**Congrats! :D**

Hannah giggled a little, rolling over in bed to lay on her stomach. She hadn’t spared any time in texting her friends to tell them about the encounter she’d just had as soon as she arrived home. She couldn’t help it! Valentine was so charming and sweet, and she’d had a great time, she _had_ to tell somebody. 

Normally, she’d be exhausted after a busy night of socializing, but that didn’t seem to be the case tonight. Quite the opposite, actually; it was almost midnight and she was still buzzing with energy. She was pleasantly surprised. 

**So? What’s he like???**

****

****

**How was it? Did you have a good time?**

Hannah wrote out a reply, but hesitated to press send. She conveniently omitted the fact that he was actually an escort and that she’d paid him to go out with her. She reread over the text again. She had had a fantastic time, but if they knew the whole story, they’d surely be concerned. And rightfully so. It wasn’t really a widely-accepted practice to pay for dates unless you were looking for a one-night stand. 

**We just went to a bar and talked for a while over a couple drinks. He was really sweet and funny. Plus super cute too <3 I had a great time ^^**

She thought about Valentine and how kindly and respectfully he had treated her. He didn’t seem like the type to take just any woman home, but of course, it’s not like she had given him any reason to do so. And she certainly hadn’t paid him extra for something like that. She shook her head and pressed her face against the pillow as if to hide from her own thoughts. _It’s not like she wanted him to take her home._ But still… it was a shame that the night had to end so quickly. She had really enjoyed his company. 

Hannah read their email conversation from before the date over again. His messages were so eloquent, while hers seemed childish in comparison. There was a clear difference in their ages and personalities. He was 27 years old. A mature adult with a high paying job and a sexy allure that drew her in and made her weak when she thought about how gently he’d smiled at her. From the way she talked, typed, and reacted to his touches and compliments, he probably thought she was nothing more than a baby with a legal ID. Hannah sighed and placed her phone face down on the bed frame before rolling over onto her side. He was completely out of her league. Still though, Hannah couldn’t help but smile; she was happy to have had at least one chance with someone so perfect. 

She closed her eyes and wished she could see him again before drifting to sleep.


	2. Coffee Shop

Midday sunlight streamed through the blinds and filled the room as Hannah sat at her desk, idly doodling in her sketchbook, her cheek resting lazily in her palm while her mind wandered. It had been about a week since her date with Valentine and she hadn’t heard from him since, no new emails besides boring newsletters from website mailing lists. She’d remembered the phone number stashed away in her pocket multiple times, but every time she looked at it, her chest tightened. She couldn’t afford to hire him again right now, so there wouldn’t be any point in contacting him. But he did give her his personal number, so that had to mean that he was somewhat interested in her, right? But then again, he probably only gave it to her because it’s more convenient than emailing back and forth, in case she did want to hire him again. In her mind, she battled with herself. Why would he give his number to a boring and shy client he had only met with once for a couple of hours, and one he’d only talked with at that? Her mind raced. She wished she knew what he was thinking about right now… It most definitely wasn’t her. There were plenty of other interesting, beautiful, and wealthy women who he saw regularly, she was sure.

 

Hannah leaned back in her chair and ran her fingers through her bangs, brushing them back with a deep sigh. She attuned her attention back to her sketches. They were all of him. She closed her sketchbook and tossed it aside. It really was pathetic of her to be daydreaming about some fantasy prince charming like a little girl. There had to be something to get him off of her mind. She looked over at the time; a quarter to one. Maybe getting out of the house would do her some good.

 

' _I_ _guess I’ll go get a coffee,_ ’ she thought to herself as she stood, throwing her hair up into a messy bun and pulling on a baggy sweatshirt. She gathered her things, but just before leaving her room, Hannah glanced at her sketchbook again and decided to tuck it into her purse. ‘ _Maybe I’ll hang out there for a while._ ’

 

The drive was a short one, as she lived fairly close by, but just out of walking distance. She parked and made her way inside and was met with a short line at the register, only about 3 or 4 people, and a couple others scattered at the numerous tables, minding their own business with a book or their laptops. Low-energy music played from the speakers, giving the room a pleasantly chill atmosphere. She stood at the back of the line, scrolling through her phone, mind wandering as the others in front of her ordered.

 

When her turn came, she ordered her favorite drink with ease. A large white chocolate mocha with peppermint and whipped cream. It was sweet, just the way she liked it. She paid and moved to the opposite end of the counter to wait for her name to be called. Her eyes scanned the small shop and she found an open seat in the corner. When her drink was ready, she sat, pulled out her sketchbook once more and plugged her earbuds into her phone.

 

Minutes passed, then a half hour. Hannah leaned back to get a better view of the page that she’d been working on and took a sip of her coffee, now cooled enough to drink without hesitation. Her sketches were messy, but they still looked pretty good. She smiled at her own small accomplishment. The change of scenery had definitely helped her to relax better.

 

Hannah caught the movement of the door opening out of the corner of her eye and she looked up. She let out a soft gasp and watched as a familiar figure held the door for two little girls to walk in front of him.

 

Valentine?

 

_With kids?_

 

She kept her head down, but continued to watch as the three of them stood in line together. The children were clearly twins, with pinkish-red hair and matching outfits. They were small, maybe about 6 years old or so. The girls were quickly drawn to the pastries in the case, admiring all the sweet desserts. One of them tugged on Valentine’s pant leg and pointed silently while the other seemingly asked if they could have one. He smiled down at them softly and said something that Hannah couldn’t quite make out.

 

Their eyes met for a moment and Hannah quickly looked away. _Shit._ She’d been staring longer than she realized. And he had clearly noticed. She hoped that he would ignore her and find a seat on the opposite end of the cafe, but he didn’t seem to have that same concern.

 

“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked sweetly.

 

Hannah nodded and gestured to the seat in front of her, “Mm, go ahead.” She pushed her glasses up and avoided eye contact, but she could tell he was looking at her. With a quick thanks, he pulled the chair and sat down while Hannah pulled her headphones from her ears and put them away as to not be rude. The girls sat down at the adjacent table, happily enjoying their sweet drinks and pastries. “I didn’t expect to run into you here,” she said, trying to make casual conversation.

 

He chuckled, “Same to you. I don’t see you around here very often.”

 

Hannah paused. That was because she rarely went outside of her house. But she kept that information to herself. “I don’t usually come inside. I prefer to pick up my coffee and take it home with me, most days.” Did he come to this cafe a lot then?

 

Valentine hummed. “Do you live nearby?” He sipped carefully at his coffee as he waited for a reply.

 

“Yeah, I do,” she nodded. “I usually stop in here on my way to work, but I’m off today, so I thought I’d relax here for a bit.” She awkwardly reached for her drink as well, desperately trying to think of interesting things to talk about, but nothing came to mind. She could only hope that he would continue to initiate conversation as to not fall into an uncomfortable silence.

 

“I see you brought your sketchbook with you this time,” he pointed out with a smile. Hannah panicked at the realization. She quickly hid her sketches with her hand, embarrassed that he’d remembered that particular detail.

 

“O-Oh… yes,” she stammered and shut the book before he could ask to see what she’d been working on, “The atmosphere here is relaxing, so I like to chill and doodle.”

 

Valentine snickered a little to himself at the reaction, but didn’t push it. “It is pretty relaxing here,” he agreed, taking a deep breath and letting his eyes gaze around the cafe. “It’s nice.”

 

“It is…” Hannah’s voice trailed off. Neither of them spoke for a couple of seconds and Hannah began to feel a small twinge of panic in her chest. What else was there to say? She flipped through multiple topics in her mind, but kept coming up blank. Hannah’s attention shifted to the two small girls at the table behind them. They were surprisingly well behaved. Hannah didn’t want to pry, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask about them. “Are those your children?” She asked with a tilt of her head. He smiled gently.

 

“Well… yes and no.” Hannah’s look of confusion prompted him to continue. “They aren’t _mine_ , per se, but I do take care of them. I’m more their guardian than their parent.” He looked back at the girls with a gentle gaze. “They were orphans, so I took them in a couple of years ago.”

 

Hannah’s eyes widened. He took care of orphans? She certainly hadn’t expected that. Could it be that he really did fall from a young women’s romance novel?

 

Valentine continued, “They were so young, so they don’t remember much about their parents. But from the condition they were in when I met them, I can’t imagine it was a happy home life.” His gaze saddened a little, but he didn’t say anything further.

 

Hannah hesitated for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. “I’m glad that they have a better home now then. I’m sure they are extremely grateful to you, Valentine.” He smiled in response and took a drink of his coffee without a word. “They seem like nice girls. From what I can tell, you’re doing a great job with them.”

 

“I hope so,” he replied with kind eyes. He turned his attention back to Hannah. “Would you like to meet them?”

 

She grinned, “Sure!”

 

Valentine turned to the girl’s table and tapped one of their chairs to get their attention. “Girls, would you come here for a moment?” They looked back at him, then at Hannah, and shyly stood. The twin with shorter hair clung to her sister as they approached their table. Valentine gestured his hand towards Hannah and smiled sweetly at the girls. “This is Miss Hannah. Do you want to say hi?”

 

Hannah gave the girls a soft smile, “Hello! It’s very nice to meet you both.”

 

The girls didn’t respond right away, and nervously glanced back up at Valentine, who gently prompted them to introduce themselves. The twin with the long hair spoke first. “My name… is Yuri…”

 

Her sister followed suit, still clinging to Yuri’s back. “I’m Mari…” she spoke even more timidly than her twin had.

 

They were both incredibly adorable, almost like porcelain dolls. Hannah’s heart melted at their soft voices and big, bright eyes. She’d always loved children. “I like your matching outfits. They are very cute!” she complimented and the girls thanked her in unison before hiding behind Valentine, who simply laughed and pat their heads. They sat back down at their table and Valentine turned back to face Hannah.

 

“As you can see, they’re shy, but they are very sweet,” he said fondly. “It takes some time for them to open up to new people.”

 

Hannah laughed, “That’s understandable.”

 

She glanced back at the girls, then at Valentine who had his eyes fixed outside the window. She followed his gaze and watched a young couple walk down the sidewalk. They were holding hands as the girl leaned closely to her boyfriend’s shoulder. They looked happy. Hannah thought for a moment. That’s right… Valentine was an escort. He saw different, and probably multiple, women every single day. She couldn’t imagine how that probably affected his home life. After all, if these girls saw--

 

“I know what you're thinking.” Valentine spoke softly, tracing his finger around the rim of his cup. He paused, unsure if he should continue. “The girls don’t know. I don’t want them growing up with a skewed vision of me or what I do, so I never bring my work home with me.”

 

“I see,” Hannah said. She couldn’t deny that she had felt a little worried for them. She supposed it probably showed on her face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--”

 

“No, I understand, don't worry. I would be concerned too,” he said with an airy smile and a wave of his hand. “I feel bad that I have to be away from home sometimes, so I always try to make time during the day to take them out and spend time with them. And that’s also why I prefer to schedule my work in the evening.”

 

Work.

 

Hannah thought back to her emails with Valentine before their date. She had noticed that he mentioned being unavailable during the day, but she had assumed it was because of another client. She let out a small exhale of relief at that thought. But another thought creeped into her mind. She was just another client to Valentine; she was just “work”. She kept her disappointment to herself. It was childish to wish for anything more between them after only having met him twice, one of which was by pure coincidence. But even so, she hadn’t expected him to be so down-to-earth. It was refreshing.

 

As Valentine finished up his coffee, he glanced at the time on his phone and stood. “Ah, we should probably be taking our leave about now.” Hannah’s shoulders dropped, but she nodded. Valentine tapped Yuri’s shoulder and smiled down at the girls. “It’s time to go home and have some real lunch, okay? Why don’t you say goodbye to Miss Hannah?”

 

“Can we go to the park today, Val?” Mari asked, tugging lightly on Valentine’s pant leg.

 

“Please?” Yuri pleaded, joining her sister in putting on a pair of puppy dog eyes that Valentine had a hard time saying no to. He thought for a moment, then accepted, much to the delight of both girls.

 

As they picked up their things to leave, Mari made her way over to Hannah. “Will you come too?” She asked shyly. The young woman looked back at her in surprise, then glanced up at Valentine, who also appeared to be a little taken aback as well.

 

“Ah, I don’t know if…”

 

“You’re welcome to join us if you would like to,” Valentine said.

 

Hannah paused, weighing the options in her mind. If she went with them, that would give her and Valentine more time to talk and get to know each other. She certainly didn’t have any other plans, but she didn’t want to intrude on their family time. But he was offering, after all; there was no real reason to refuse. “If it's really alright with you, then I would love to come,” she finally said with a grin as she packed up her belongings.

 

The four of them left the coffee shop together, the two girls skipping happily down the path while Valentine and Hannah walked a bit behind them. The park wasn’t far from the cafe, only a short walk away. But even so, it felt like eternity as they walked in awkward silence. Hannah tried to think of new and interesting things to say, but couldn’t think of anything. She hoped that Valentine would initiate conversation, but he also remained quiet, which didn’t help her rising anxiety. She really didn’t want him to think that she was boring and regret asking her to join them, but she just couldn’t bring herself to break the silence. Finally, she worked up her courage. “The weather is nice today, isn’t it?”

 

“It is…”

 

Fantastic. Hannah internally cursed herself for picking the most boring and generic topic on the planet. She wanted nothing more than to just disappear, but alas, she was stuck walking in agonizing anxiety. She was surprised, however, that he wasn’t more conversational. She guessed even escorts need a break from being charming and sociable all the time.

 

As they arrived at the park, the twins ran to play on the jungle gym while Valentine sat beside Hannah on one of the benches. The young woman looked around, trying to find something of interest to talk about. She spotted a little food stand across the sidewalk. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she’d forgotten to eat again.

 

“Hey, Valentine?”

 

“Valentine is a mouthful to say, isn’t it? You can just call me Val,” he replied in a sweet voice.

 

“Ah, okay. Val, I was thinking of getting something to eat over there. You and the girls haven’t eaten, right? I can get us all something if you want.” Hannah offered, picking up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

 

Val smiled, “You don’t need to do that. I can pick something up on our way home.”

 

“I don’t mind at all. It’s already past lunchtime and I’m sure they are going to be hungry after using up so much energy playing. Consider it a thank you,” she smiled back, then turned away and paused, “and also as payment for allowing me to spend the day with you.”

 

Valentine blinked, but didn’t say anything. Before he could reply, she walked over to the stand and ordered for them, taking her best guess at what they would like from the short list of options. When she returned, Val had gathered the girls’ attention and sat them all down at a picnic table nearby. Hannah distributed the food among them, and they all thanked her before eating. Valentine kept his attention on Yuri and Mari as they ate, only occasionally exchanging glances with the young woman beside him. She watched intently as he interacted with them in such a soft and caring manner. He really did seem like their parent, almost more motherly in a way, which Hannah found to be a cute trait of his.

 

As they all finished their meal, Hannah noticed the time was approaching 4pm and the girls were starting to get tired. They started making their way back towards the cafe, where their cars were parked. By the time they made it, Yuri had dozed off and Mari wasn’t far behind. After getting both girls into their car seats, Valentine thanked her once again and they parted ways.

 

When Hannah returned home, she laid down on her bed and pulled out her phone, checking missed notifications and scrolling aimlessly through social media when a thought hit her. _Crap, she’d meant to bring up the phone number._ She wanted to ask him about his intention in giving it to her, but with the unexpected meeting and awkwardness between them at the park, she hadn’t had any chance to bring it up. The girl sighed and pushed her bangs out of her face. She scrolled through her phone’s contacts until she reached his name and stared hesitantly at it.

 

“Another missed opportunity…” she muttered to herself.

 

She got lucky this time, but she wondered if it would be the last time she was able to see him unless she got over her worries and just texted him. She opened a new message and typed up a short greeting, then deleted it. She tried again with something a bit more professional-sounding, but deleted that as well. Nothing she typed sounded good or interesting in the slightest. Even a casual “Hey, it’s Hannah” sounded awkward and boring. And since they had just spent the last few hours together, she was sure it would be weird of her to contact him _now_.

 

“I guess it’d be better to just wait…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to @Pomfry and @KawaiiSatan for help editing this chapter <3


	3. The Job of an Escort

_ “Consider it a thank you… and also as payment for allowing me to spend the day with you.” _

 

Valentine thought back; he hadn’t expected to run into her that day. While he couldn’t deny that it was refreshing to spend time with her, he continued to remind himself that she was a client. Even if they had only met by chance and he didn’t consider their time together as a job, she’d made it clear to him that she only saw him in light of his work. He frowned.

 

His eyes scanned the numerous emails crowding his inbox. He made an effort to keep his email organized, every so often deleting exchanges from old clients who hadn’t contacted him after a while and sorting the messages from his regulars into specific folders. 

 

His usual clients were all wealthy and sophisticated women who wanted nothing more than a handsome date to give them a night of fun away from their home life, their families, their responsibilities. That’s what it meant to be an escort. Valentine knew it wasn’t the most admirable career choice, but it made him good money, and he knew he had the looks and charm to pull it off. He had always been popular in school. As he grew up, he’d always been told that he was going to be a model or an actor. And he was sure he probably could’ve gone down those paths and made a decent living. After all, one of his many brothers had made a career in theater, so he probably could’ve followed suit. However, he had little interest in acting. He didn’t enjoy pretending to be someone he’s not.

 

He had tried modeling a few years back, and it was going fairly well when he was approached by a higher-up agent in his modeling circle, a woman a few years older than he was. This was the first time he had seen her personally, but she was well known and respected amongst his peers, so he met privately with her to discuss a business deal. After some idle chatting and one or two drinks, she’d sidled up beside him, leaning against his shoulder. She asked him to come back home with her, as her husband was out of town for that week. Valentine, taken by surprise, jolted back and refused. The woman persisted, promising him that if he would fulfill her wish for the evening, that she would push his career forward, as she had connections with an escort agency that catered towards women and that he would be a perfect fit for the job. She offered him a great deal of money for the night. Valentine hesitated, feeling extremely guilty for even entertaining the thought of sleeping his way up the corporate ladder. It made him sick to think about. The man politely refused her offer and left, but not before she slipped her card into his hand and told him with a sly smile to contact her if he ever changed his mind.

 

Valentine sighed and shook his head, letting blonde wisps brush over his face. He pushed them back and wearily rubbed his eyes, as the bright screen of his laptop was beginning to blur his vision in the dark room. It was quickly approaching 1am and he hadn’t been sleeping well recently. After one last quick look over his emails, one thread in particular caught his attention. The first set of emails from Hannah sat untouched in his inbox. No new messages in or out. He had considered moving them into the “One-Time Clients” folder, as he hadn’t heard anything from her since their last meeting. And considering that she wasn’t particularly high-class, with only a part time job, he deduced that she wasn’t going to have the funds to hire him again any time soon. But still, every time he went to delete her messages, he found a reason not to. 

 

It hasn’t been that long. Only a few weeks. She might want to contact him again. Although, she did have his cell phone number.

 

The corners of his mouth turned down and his eyebrows knitted together. He looked over their last conversation. Her messages were cheery and childish; although, he could see that she’d made an attempt to sound more sophisticated to appeal to him. But even if she was the youngest client he’d ever entertained, 5 years younger than him, she still carried herself with a sort of awkward maturity that he found endearing. There wasn’t anything particularly “extraordinary” about this girl, and yet, that’s exactly what intrigued him about her. He’d become so comfortable in his high-end work life that he’d forgotten what it felt like to just enjoy the company of a friend without any ulterior motive.

 

With an exhausted groan, Val closed the computer and pushed away from his desk. He slid out of his day clothes and fell onto his bed, pulling the sheets over his body before nodding off to sleep. 

 

* * *

 

A ping from his phone caused Valentine to wake and groggily roll over to check it. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and picked up his phone to see that he’d overslept. It was already almost 7:30 am and the girls needed to be at school by 8. The man pulled himself up, lazily hanging his feet off of the side of the bed. He stood, got dressed, and went to wake the twins, making sure to get their clothes set out for the day as they rolled out of their beds. 

 

“Come on, you two, we’re running late.” He gently patted their heads and helped to get them up and ready for the day. As they got into the car and started to leave, Valentine realized he’d left his phone on his nightstand. With no time to go back inside, he shrugged off the feeling and continued on with his morning.

 

He had one client scheduled for the day while the girls were at school. After dropping the children off with their teacher and picking up his usual latte, he made his way back home to get ready to meet with his appointment for the day: the wife of a CEO for a major business franchise in another state. She’d requested his company for 2 hours while her husband was in the office and insisted that they go to a nearby restaurant for brunch. Valentine glanced at the clock; he still had a couple hours before their meeting time. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to relax a while in the meantime.

 

The sound of his phone vibrating caught his attention and he picked it up to notice a missed call. The number was familiar. He smiled and called back. 

 

“Hello, Mr. Alicein. I apologize, I was away from my phone,” the man held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he shifted through his closet, searching for an outfit to wear for the day’s appointment. “The girls and I were running late for school, and I left my phone at home.”

 

“Oh, it’s no trouble,” the voice on the other end chuckled, “I’m sorry to call you so early. I’m still getting used to the time difference. You’ve only been out of the country for, what, seven years now? ”

 

Valentine let out a soft laugh. “Is there something I can do for you, sir?”

 

“Yes. I have a rather interesting request from a business contact of mine. It seems that they would like to meet with you personally this evening if it’s at all possible.”

 

“This evening?”

 

“They send their apologies for the short notice.”

 

He knew he didn’t have any plans for the night. As long as the meeting took place after Yuri and Mari’s bedtime, he was sure he could manage it. “Is this a professional meeting?” he asked. 

 

Mr. Alicein made a sound of uncertainty. “I’m not sure. The details were unclear. All I know is that his daughter is currently studying abroad in America and that it would be beneficial for us to have a connection in the states.”

 

“I see.” Valentine wondered what they possibly could want from him. After all, he wasn’t an Alicein. He had good social standing with them, sure, and he considered them very close friends. But he wasn’t an official member of the family. So why would a business contact of theirs reach out to him? Why not contact him directly?

 

Back when he still lived in Japan, he had become good friends with the oldest Alicein son, as he was only a few years older than the boy, and they often played together when they were young. And because of that, he’d also taken care of Mr. Alicein’s youngest as he grew up. He was easily accepted as part of the family and Valentine looked up to Mr. Alicein and kept in touch, even after moving to America so many years ago.

 

“Tonight should work well enough,” Valentine finally said.

 

“Great. I will forward the email with the specifics to you.”

 

“Thank you.” The man paused, “Also, sir, how is Misono doing? He’s 15 now; I hope high school has been treating him alright.” 

 

The man on the other line gave a proud huff, “He’s doing exceptionally well. His grades are superb and he’s all grown up now, the spitting image of his mother.”

 

“Has his health improved?”

 

“Yes, he’s always been rather frail. But he’s been more full of energy lately now that he’s made a few friends.”

 

Valentine smiled, “That’s good. I’m glad.”

 

The men said their goodbyes and ended the call. Valentine pushed his phone into his pocket as he buttoned up his selected top and combed through his hair. After reviewing the details of his first meeting, he head out for the day.

 

The brunch went decently well. They sat and talked, the woman flirted, he flirted back. She wasn’t a new client, so they had subjects to catch up on. He asked about her sons, who were apparently in training to take on their father’s position, as he was approaching an early retirement. She spoke fondly of her family, which always made Valentine wonder why she would be searching for his entertainment, although he resisted the urge to question her. It wasn’t any of his business.

 

Their date came to an end, and he respectfully said his goodbye, thanking her for another lovely time together before taking his leave. He checked his email on his phone and opened the new message from Mr. Alicein. As promised, the message included the details for that evening; however, ironically, with very minimal  _ detail.  _ It provided the address of a restaurant to meet at for dinner at 8pm, a vague description of the woman he’d be meeting with, and ending with the sentence “ _ Please arrive in semi-formal attire. _ ”

 

It wasn’t rare for him to have shy guests, but he usually preferred to know a little bit more about the client, as he could better prepare for their meeting. He enjoyed getting to know the women a little first, so that their dates wouldn’t be awkward. But alas, it seems like this wasn’t the case. He wasn’t even sure of this girl’s intentions yet, but he figured he would soon find out.

 

To pass the time until his next appointment, he took the girls out after school to play on the playground. He watched them from the sidelines as they ran around and had fun with the other children. The sound of childish giggling from behind him caught his attention and he turned to see a young couple and their daughter sitting together at one of the picnic tables, having fun and eating lunch. Valentine watched the small family for a few moments before he noticed Yuri pulling on his arm. 

 

“Val! Come look! We made a castle in the sand!”

 

He laughed, “Oh? I bet it’s the most beautiful castle for two pretty princesses!”

 

The young girl’s eyes lit up and she tugged him over to the spot where she and Mari had been playing. “Uh-huh! You can be the king too!” 

 

“Wow! You’d let me live in your castle? That’s so nice of you~” 

 

The short-haired twin spoke up, “With a beautiful queen too!”

 

Valentine smiled sadly, looking away, and muttered under his breath. “Haha, maybe one day...” 

 

They seemed satisfied enough with his response and went back to playing in the sand while he sat beside them and watched.

 

* * *

 

The time for his second meeting eventually rolled around and after putting the girls to bed, Valentine got dressed up in a nice pink button up with a black blazer and dress pants. He pinned his bangs out of his face, but overall, left his hair down. He chose a pair of simple stud earrings instead of the flashy dangling earrings he wore for his more gaudy customers. With a final look over himself in the mirror, he headed out the door. 

 

Valentine entered the low lit restaurant and told the greeter that he was meeting someone. He wasn’t sure who had hired him, as she’d left out her name, but she had told him that she’d be wearing a pale yellow dress and that she’d reserved a secluded table near the back of the restaurant. Following the vague instructions, he found a girl sitting alone in the back corner, sipping a glass of water and gazing out the window. He approached her with a charming smile.

 

“Hello miss,” he began and she turned to him. She had wavy brown hair that hung over her shoulders in loose ringlets. Her dress wasn’t overly fancy, but it was nice. She was younger than him, he guessed. “May I ask your name, my dear?” 

 

She smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to sit at the booth across from her. He obliged.

 

“Catherine. Catherine Montgomery.”

 

“What a beautiful name for a beautiful young lady,” he replied as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, which she happily accepted. “It is my pleasure to be your escort for this evening, Miss Montgomery.”  _ Montgomery _ . Valentine pondered that name for a moment; it sparked a familiarity that he couldn’t quite place. 

 

She giggled quietly to herself, “No need for formalities; the pleasure is all mine. Please, just call me Catherine.” she replied as she brought her glass to her lightly glossed lips. 

 

The waiter came over, placing the couple’s menus onto the table and asking what refreshments they would like. Valentine waited for Catherine to place her order, a simple glass of red wine, and he followed suit with the same. Red wine wasn’t his favorite drink of choice, but he made it a point to take his client’s tastes into consideration. As the waiter left, Valentine took up the menu and scanned through the extremely high-class options. Catherine kept her eyes fixated on him, so he took this opportunity to strike up conversation.

 

“So, Miss Catherine, tell me about yourself,” Valentine started, meeting her gaze. “I’ve been told you are here studying abroad, is that correct?”

 

Without missing a beat, she replied, “Well, yes. I was living with my father in England, but I wanted to travel and see the world, I suppose. I took it upon myself to come to America to complete my studies.”

 

The escort listened intently as the waiter brought over their glasses and a wine bottle, filling them both halfway. Valentine took his drink and sipped at it. The taste was refined, bitter, and clearly expensive. They both gave the man their orders for their main course and once he had left, Valentine’s attention shifted back towards his date. “So then, if I may ask,” Valentine began, carefully setting his glass down, “What are you here to study?”

 

The girl hummed to herself, “My father wants me to finish my degree in business management before anything else, but I’ve always considered that to be utterly dull.” Her gaze shifted out the window once more. “I’ve decided I’d like to explore something a bit more creative. Like fine arts or music.”

 

“Art, hm?” he repeated quietly. “Do you have an interest in drawing?”

 

“Painting, more like. Although I’m still quite the novice.” She smiled sweetly and pulled her phone out from her purse. She scrolled through before showing him a couple pictures of pieces that she’d done. They were incredible watercolor landscapes of numerous famous landmarks.

 

“These are stunning,” Valentine praised, sliding her phone back to her. “How can you say that you’re still only a novice with work like that in your portfolio?”

 

Catherine giggled, “You’re too kind, Valentine.” Her hand rested on his and he didn’t pull away. He noticed a charm bracelet donning her thin wrist. 

 

“If you don’t mind my curiosity, do you collect charms?” 

 

“Oh, these?” She held up her wrist to him, so he could get a better look at them. “They were gifts.” She rolled her eyes, “It seems all men have the same thought process. If you buy a woman jewelry, you’re bound to win her over in a heartbeat. But of course, I’m not going to get rid of them. It’d be rude of me to refuse a gift.”

 

He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of a text notification from his phone. The escort apologized, and Catherine told him it was fine. He always made sure to silence his phone during his dates, as to not disrupt the atmosphere. He pulled the device from his pocket and as he went to turn the volume off, he was startled by an unexpected message from an unknown number.

 

**Hello, Val, it’s Hannah.**

**I was wondering if you wanted to meet up sometime?**

 

He reread over the message again. Of all times for Hannah to finally contact him, it had to be now.

 

“Valentine?” Catherine’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Is everything okay?”

 

“Oh, yes, of course.” He slipped his phone back into his pocket and directed his eyes back to the young woman in front of him. “Please forgive the interruption,” he responded with a bright grin. “Where were we?”

 

“Oh, nothing of importance,” she cheerfully dismissed the question. 

 

The waiter arrived with their meals not long after and they spent the rest of the evening chatting about anything that came to mind. He asked more about her family and found out that she was the only daughter of the Montgomery Manner in England where she lived with her father and one older brother. Her mother lived in France, as her parents had separated shortly after her birth. She asked him about his siblings, and he told her briefly about them, but ultimately attempted to keep the conversation on her, which wasn’t particularly difficult.

 

The night went on, and it was already getting late. Valentine offered to pay for the drinks at least, but the girl politely told him no and took care of the entire bill herself. As they left, he offered his arm to her and she gladly took it without hesitation, pulling him close. They walked down the sidewalk together and he asked if she would like for him to give her a ride home, and she accepted. 

 

“I can guess what you’re probably thinking,” Catherine spoke quietly as they drove back towards her place. “Why would I hire an escort such as yourself to keep me company when I’m still young, not particularly lonely, and well off?” Valentine never asked about his clients intentions, but if they brought it up themselves, he wouldn’t refute them.

 

“I suppose I’m curious.” 

 

“That’s simple,” Catherine turned her attention to the nighttime sky while Valentine waited for her response. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m interested in you.”

 

Valentine’s charming expression never wavered. “Interested in me? You’ve got plenty of suitors, my dear, wouldn’t you much prefer to spend your time with someone who can provide you a comfortable lifestyle?”

 

She blushed, “What could be more comfortable than having a good-looking man on my arm? And you clearly have refined taste and can handle yourself well in social situations.” Valentine hummed, but let her continue. “And after all, I’ve been your fan for quite a while. I apologize it took me this long to make your acquaintance in person.” Her voice trailed off.

 

His fan? He wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that. She didn’t elaborate, so he didn’t push it any farther.

 

The rest of the drive was quiet, but Catherine seemed content enough with the silence. As they approached her large home, Valentine parked and walked her to the door, where he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand and thanked her for an enchanting evening. 

 

“You’ll be seeing me again very soon,” the young woman responded happily.

 

“I’ll be looking forward to it, my lady. Until next time~”

 

Catherine blushed and made her way inside, and Valentine, back to his car.

 

By the time he’d made it home, Valentine was too exhausted to do anything. He checked in on the girls, kissed both of their heads good night, then went back to his own room and dozed off within minutes of laying down.

 

And his phone lay forgotten in his pocket until morning.


End file.
